Electric fog-signal light.



R. U. DOUGLAS.

ELECTRIC FOG SIGNAL LIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED 00313.24, 1912'.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

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wild/mom o R. G. DOUGLAS.

ELECTRIC FOG SIGNAL LIGHT.

APPLIOATION FILED 00-1. 24, 1912.

1,077,398, Patented N0v.4, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Grief/M1113 R. O. DOUGLAS. ELECTRIC FOG SIGNAL LIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED 001. 24, 1912.

Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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ELECTRIC FOG-SIGNAL LIGHT.

Specification of Letters Patent. pnwuonand October 24, 19 2. Serial n. yeast}.

- electric fog signal lights.

One objectof the invention is to provide a fog signal light of this character having an improved construction and arrangement of electrode holders and an improved means for intermittently operating one of said holders to bring the carbon electrode carried thereby into and out of engagement with the carbon electrode of the other holder.

Another object is to provide -an improved operating mechanism which may be adjusted to vary the length of the flash and toprovide means for slowly feeding the stationary carbon toward the movable carbon.

A further object is to provide an im-. proved grip or connection for the operating mechanism of the movable carbon holder wherebyshould 'the carbon carried by this holder fail to reach the stationary carbon atthe end of thedownward movement of the carbon carrier said grip .will automaticallyrelease the movable carbon holderor carrier and permit the same-to drop until the point i of .the carbon .therein comes into .engagement with the point of the other carbon nd, whereby, should the stationary carbon h ve been fed up too far the.engagement of-the movable carbon therewith will release said grip or connection and .permit the latter to slide down on the holder or carrier of the o able ca bo 'Wiflhfibfi andother objects [in view, the

invention consists of certain ,novel features' of ,constlu hon, oombmatlon'. and arrange-.

mo o 'p rt as wigll be more-full described and claimed.

is a side view of any improve fog signal light showing the ;parts .m lowered or 1 contacting-position, =Fi 2 is a, similar view showing-3. parts 1 eraised position as when producing=an;arc;Fig..3 -1s a detail cross sectional view through the operating mechanism of the movable carbon taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlar ed side view of aportlon of the supporting ar for the movable carbon holder and the gripping and releasing mechanism of said bar; Fig.5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 4:; F ig..6 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the supporting block for the stationary carbon and the @feeding mechanism; Fig. (7 is a cross sectional view through the stationary carbon supportingfand feeding mechanism taken on the'line 7 7' of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 is a side view of the operating carp for the movable electrode reciprocating mechanism; Fig. 9" is a cross sectional view of said cam taken on the line 99 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of one of thecarbon electrode holders; and Fig. 11; is

an enlarged cross sectional view of said holder taken on :the line 1111 of Fig. 10.-

My improved *fog signal light comprises a supporting frame 1 which may be of any suitable construction and is here shown as of substantially triangular shape andas consisting of a tubular base -memb'er 2one end of which is connected by an elbow 3 to a socket 4 adapted to be secured toany suitable support. The opposite end of the base member 2 isengaged with a branched coupling 5 .one end of which connected by a short nipple with a socket 6 whichis Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

also adapted to be secured to the support for the frame. Connected with the-upper end of the coupling 5 is a: tubular standard with the upper end of which and with theouter portion of the base member 2 is connected an inclined tubular supporting and guiding member 8. In the inner side.

of the member 8 at a suitable distance above the base 2 is formed a longitudinally disposed slot g the purpose of which. will be hereinafter described. i

Secured to e outer side of the lower portion ofthe supporting member 8 by bolts .10 is' a block 11 .of hard asbestos onpther 1 suitable insulating material to the outer side lnt ao ompanymg drawm s; Fi ure 1- of which -;is' bolted a stationary electrode supporting trainer comprising a base membertrode is slidably engaged. On the lower end of the base member 12 is arranged a screw supporting standard 14 having in its upper end a bearing aperture adapted to receive the outer end of the electrode feeding screw.

- 15 hereinafter described. Also secured to squared stem or supporting 15 the outer end of which is revolubly mounted in the aperture of the su porting standard 14 as hereinbefore escribed, Fixed on thescrew 15 is a ratchet gear 20 with which is engaged an operating pawl 21 pivotally mounted between links 23 the outer ends of which are pivotally connected to a awl operating rod 22. i The links 23 loose y engage the screw 15 adjacent to the opposite sides of the gear 20 so that when the rod 22 is reciprocated in a manner hereinafter described the pawl will be brought into successive engagement with the ratchet teeth thereby imparting a step by step movement to the gear 20 and thus slowly turning the feed screw 15 in the proper direction for projecting the stem 17 and electrode holder 18 to feed the carbon electrode 19 toward the opposing electrode.

The rod 22 is slidably supported in a suitable guide bracket 24 secured to the member 8 of the supporting frame 1 and said rod is preferably constructed in sections which are connected by a' coupling member 25 formed of suitable insulating or non-conducting material whereby any danger of the current passing through therod is obviated. The inner end of the rod is pivotally connected to theshorter end of an operating lever 26 which is pivoted near one end-to the base member 2 of the supporting frame 1 and is coimected near its upper end with a retracting spring 27 the opposite end of which is suitably secured the supporting member 8 of the main frame to the member 8 of the supporting frame 1 as-shown; When thus arranged the lever 26 is adapted to be engaged by a suitable tripping mechanism hereinafter described whereby the lever is actuated to reciprocate the rod 22 to cause the latter to actuate the carbon feeding mechanism in a manner described.

Suitably secured to the upper portionv of 1 and projecting outwardly at right angles from said member are inner and outer guide posts or standards 28 and 29 said standards being connected and securely braced by a brace bar 30. On the outer end of the post 28 is an electrode guiding and supporting sleeve 31 while on the outer end of the post 29 is a guide plate having therein a rectangular passage 33 with which is slidably engaged the square stem or supporting bar 34 of the movable carbon electrode holder 35 in which the movable carbonelectrode is secured.

The carbon holders 18' and each consist of a cylindrical body portion 37 having on its inner end a socket 37. in which is secured the inner end of the stem 17 of the stationary electrode or the stem 34 of the movable electrode as the case may. be, said stems being secured in the sockets by set screws 38. The outer portion of the body 37 of the holders is recessed to receive segmental carbon clamping members 39 which are engaged with the carbons and are inserted through clamping frames 40 formed on the recessed outer portion of the body 37 of the holders, said frame having therein a clamping screw 41 which is adapted to be screwed into engagement with the outer clamping member 39 thereby tightly clamping the carbons '19 or 36 whereby said cal-'- bons are securely fastened in the holders.

The carbon carrying or holding mechanism for the movable carbon is reciprocated to bring the movable carbon into and out of successive engagement with the stationary carbon by means of an operating mechanism comprising a bar 42 which is ar railged in and has a sliding engagement withthe upper portion of the member 8 of the frame 1. The upper end of the bar 42 projects a suitable distance above the upper end of the member 8 and has connected thereto a grip operatingfork 43 the outer ends of which are connected with a gripping and releasing device 44.

The gripping and releasing device 44 comprises a rectangular sleeve 45 having on its upper end parallel laterally projecting bearing arms 46 and having on its sides and projecting at right angles to the arms 46 outwardly projecting stop pins 47. The sleeve 45 has a sliding engagement with the upper portions of the stem orholder supporting bar 34 adjacent to the upper side of the plate 32 on the post 29. Pivotally mounted between the ends of the parallel arms 46 of the sleeve 45 are stem' gripping blocks 48,

said blocks being fixedly mounted on bear-- ing pins 49 on one end of each is fixed a block operating lever 50 sald levers projecting in opposite directions on opposite as shown." The outer ends of the levers 50 are connected with the upper ends of the fork 43 whereby when the latter is car'- ried up by the operating bar 42 the levers will be actuated to cause the blocks 48 to grip the stem or bar 34 of the movable elecsides of and parallel with the sleeve 45 operating mechanism, said bar together with the gripping device and the electrode carrier or holder Wlll drop by gravity thus bringing the outer end of the. electrode 36 into engagement with the point of the stationary electrode 19 thus completing the electric circuit in whichthe carbon electrodes are arranged. When the parts are thus operated the stop pins 47 will limit the downward movement of the levers 50 as indicated in v dotted lines in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

When the bar 42 and the parts carried thereby drop the inner end of the sleeve 45 will be brought into engagement with the plate 32 on the standard-39 and thisengage= ment of the sleeve will operate the latter to release or disengage the blocks 48 from the stem or bar 34 and will thus permit this bar and the holder 35 to continue to drop or slide through the plate 32 so that should the carbon electrode 36 be too short to reach the point of the stationary electrode 19 when the sleeve engages the plate 32 said carbon will be. permitted to move on until the a point of the stem en ages the point'of the stationary carbon. I ,on the other hand, the

- stationary carbon electrode 19 has been fed too rapidly and projects u wardly to such an extent that the point of the movable carbon 36 is brought into engagement therewith be fore the sleeve 45 comes into engagement with the plate 32 the resistance causedby the engagement of the carbon 36 with the carbon 19 will cause the levers to disengage the gripping blocks 48 from the stem or bar 34 thus permitting the gripping device and the parts connected thereto to slip down until the lower end of the sleeve 45 comes into engagement with the plate 32.

,By thus constructing and arranging the gripping and, operating mechanism of the movable .electrode it W111 be seen that this mechanism will b automatically ad'usted to operatively engage the movable car onelectrode with the stationary electrode to complete the electric circuit which --is immediately broken by the disengagement of the movable carbon thereby producing the arc The operating mechanism for projecting the o erating bar 42 for the grip'pmg device and e ectrode carrier comprises a lever51 having one end'pivotally connected by a sleeve 52 to the standard 7 of the frame 1 and having its opposite end pivotally'connected through the slot 9 in the member 8 with the lower end of the operating bar 42. The lever 51 is connected by a link or pitman rod 53 with a trip arm 54 one end of which ispivotally operating the ratchet feeding understood.

connected to,,a bracket 55 secured to the adjacent portion of the member 8 of the frame 1 as shown. Revolubly mounted on' the outer portion of the trip arm 54 is a bearing roller 56 which is engaged with an operating cam 57 revolubly mounted in the bearing bracket 58 secured to the standard 7 of the frame 1 as shown. Fixed .on one side of the cam 57 is a spur gear 59 which is connected by an idle gear 60 revolubly mounted in a right angular extension of the bracket 58 to a pinion 61 mounted on a suitably supported shaft 62 on which is also fixedly mounted a worm gear 63. The gear 63 is operatively engaged with and driven by a worm 64 on the shaft of an electric motor 65 arranged in a suitable position on the supportto which the frame 1 is secured.- By providing suitably sized gears for connecting the worm 64 with the cam 57 the speed of the latter may be controlled to operate the movable electrode carrier at the esired speed.

The cam 57 comprises a pair of similarly shaped disks 66 and 67 in one of which are formed segmental slots 68 to receive disk connecting screws 69 which are engaged with the adjacent disk and thereby adji1stably connect the disks'66 and 67 together in operative engagement. In one side of the disks 66 and 67 are formed substantially V- sha ed notches 7 0 one edge of which is prefera ly formed straight while the opposite edge is curved as shown. By thus constructing the disks 66 and 67 they may be turned on each other to increase or diminish the size of the notch or recess 70 as clearly shown in dotted lines in one of the figures of the drawings. By thus varying the size of the notch or recess 70 in the cam disks the engagement of the roller 56 may be controlled toactuate the operating mechanism of the carbon carrier for producing arc's or flashes of different length as will be readily understood. Arranged on and projecting laterally from one sideof the disks is a'tr'p pin 71 which is carried around by the evolving movement of the disks and is thus brought into successive engagement with I the free end of the trip lever 26 whereupon the latter is actuated in one direction forv mechanism connected therewith for feeding the stationary carbon electrode as hereinbefore de scribed. The lever 26 after being tripped by the pin 71 is actuated in the opposite direction by the spring 27 as' will be readily The current conducting wires 72 and 73 may be connected with the carbon holders 18 and 35 in any suitable manner, said wires being here shown and are preferably connected to the holders by the set screws 38 which secure the holders to their stems.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawv gripping mechanism whereby the latter and carried by said holder, a feeding mechanismprinciple or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as claimed. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: l 1. A fog signal light comprising a supporting frame, a stationary electrode support secured thereto, a stationary electrode holder having an adjustable engagement with said support, a stationary electrode carried by said holder, a feedingmechanism connected with said holder, a movable electrode carrier slidably mounted on said frame, a movable electrode secured in said,

carrier, agripping and releasing device engaged'with sald movable electrode carrier, and an operating mechanism connected with said gripping device whereby the latter is actuated to retract said carrier and the elec- 5 trode 5 therein.

- 2. A fog signal light comprising a supporting frame, a stationary electrode support secured thereto, a stationary electrode holder having an adjustable engagement with said support, a stationary electrode carried by said holder, a feeding mechanism connected with said holder, a movable electrode carrier slidably mounted on said frame, a movable electrode secured in said holder, a gripping and releasing device engaged with said movable electrode carrier, an operating mechanism connected with said grippin device whereby the latter is actuated to retract said carrier and the elec trode therein, and means to release said the movable electrode carrier are permitted to automatically adjust themselves to bring the electrode in said carrier into proper position with respect to the stationary electrode.

v 3. A fog signal light comprising a supporting frame, a stationary electrode support secured thereto, a stationary electrpde holder having an adjustable e ngagement with said support, a stationary electrode connected with said holder, a movable electrode carried slidably mounted on sa1d frame, a movable electrode secured in said holder, a gripping and releasing device en gaged with said movable,electrode carrier, an operating mechanism for said movable carrier comprising a slidably mounted operating bar connected with said gripping device, a pivotally mounted lever connected with said operating bar, a trip arm connected with said lever, a cam having an' operative engagement with said trip arm whereby said operating mechanism is actu-" ated to lift -said movable electrode carrier and to permit the same to lower thereby disengaging and engaging the electrode therein with said stationary electrode, and means to'operate said cam.

4. A fog signal light comprising a "supporting frame,a stationary electrode support secured thereto, a stationary electrode holder arranged oncsaid support, a stationary electrode secured ins'ai'd holder, a movable electrode carrier slidably mounted on said supporting frame, a movable electrode secured in said carrier, a gripping and releasing device having "an operative engagement with said carrier, a slidably mounted operating bar connected at one end with said gripping and releasing device, a pivotally mounted leve'r operatively connected with the opposite end of said bar, a pi voted trip arm having an adjustable connection with said lever, a trip roller carried by said arm, a revolubly mounted adjustable tripping cam engaged with the roller of said trip arm whereby the latter and said tripping lever and bar are projected in one direction to raise said movable electrode carrier and released to permit said carrier and electrode to drop thereby bringing the movable electrode into and out of engagement with the stationary electrode, and a motor geared to said cam.

5. A fog signal light comprising a sup porting frame, a stationary electrode holder arranged thereon, a stationary electrode secured in said-holder, a movable electrode carrier, having a stem, a movable electrode secured in said carrier,a suitably mounted stop plate to slidably support said stem, a gripping and releasing device comprising a sleeve having a sliding engagement with said stem, gripping blocks pivotally mounted on said sleeve to grip said stem, operating lev'ers connected with said gripping blocks whereby they are actuated to grip said stem when the gripping device is moved in one direction, said blocks being released by the engagement of said sleeve with said stop plate when thegripping device is brought into engagement therewith, a slidably mounted operating bar having on one end a fork operatively connected with the levers of said gripping blocks whereby the latter are actuated to grip the stem of the movable electrode carrier and to thereby raise said carrier, and the movable" e ectrode, and meansto actuate said operating bar.

6. A fog signal light comprising a supporting frame having an inclined tubular member provided in one side with a slot, a stationary electrdde'holder arranged on saidmember, guide posts secured toisaid member,a guide sleeve on one of said'posts, an apertured stop plate on the other post, a movable electrode carrier comprising a holder having a stem slidably engaged with said apertured stop plate, a movable electrode secured in said holder and having a sliding engagement with said guide sleeve, a gripping and releasing device operatively engaged with said stem, an operating-bar slidably mounted in the tubular member of said supporting frame and connected at one end with said gripping and releasing device, a lever pivoted at one end to said frame, and at its opposite end to said operating bar through the slot in said tubular member of the frame, a trip arm pivotally mounted on said member and having an operative connection with said lever, a revolubly mounted cam comprising a pair of disks having in one edge notches, means to adjustably connect said disks whereby the notches therein may be brought into and out of registration to a greater or less extent to increase and decrease the width of the notches thereby regulating the engagement of the disks with said trip arm and controlling the length of the flash caused by the disengagement of said stationary and movable electrodes, and means whereby said cam disks are operated.

7. A fog signal light comprising a supporting frame, a stationary electrode support secured to and insulated from said frame, a stationary electrode holder having a slidable engagement with said support, an

interiorly threaded tubular stem connected with said holder, an electrode feeding screw revolubly mounted on said holder support, and having an operative engagement with said stem, a ratchet gear fixed on said screw, a gear operating rod, a pawl having an operative engagement with said gear and adapted to be actuated by said rod, a spring retracted trip lever connected with said rod, a movable electrode carrier slidably mounted on said frame, a movable electrode secured in said carrier, an operating mechanism connected with the latter a revolubly mounted cam engaged with said'opcrating mechanism whereby the latter is actuated, means to revolve said cam at the desired speed, and a trip pin carried by said cam and adapted to be brought into engagement with the trip lever of the feeding mechanism for said stationary electrode holder I whereby said lever is operated against the resistance of said spring.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROY G. DOUGLAS.

Witnesses:

WINDsoR N. COBB, JOHN S. SANFORD. 

